The Taming of the Shrew
Act IV, Scene 5
A public road.
Good morrow, gentle mistress, where away? Tell me, sweet Kate, and tell me truly too, hast thou beheld a fresher gentlewoman?
From: Cassell's Illustrated Shakespeare
Mary Cowden Clarke, Charles Cowden Clarke, 1870
- Enter Petruchio, Kate, Hortensio, and Servants.
Petruchio
1 - 2- Come on a’ God’s name, once more toward our father’s.
- Good Lord, how bright and goodly shines the moon!
Katherina
3- The moon! The sun—it is not moonlight now.
Petruchio
4- I say it is the moon that shines so bright.
Katherina
5- I know it is the sun that shines so bright.
Petruchio
6 - 10- Now by my mother’s son, and that’s myself,
- It shall be moon, or star, or what I list,
- Or ere I journey to your father’s house.—
- Go on, and fetch our horses back again.—
- Evermore cross’d and cross’d, nothing but cross’d!
Hortensio
11- Say as he says, or we shall never go.
Katherina
12 - 15- Forward, I pray, since we have come so far,
- And be it moon, or sun, or what you please;
- And if you please to call it a rush-candle,
- Henceforth I vow it shall be so for me.
Petruchio
16- I say it is the moon.
Katherina
17- I know it is the moon.
Petruchio
18- Nay then you lie; it is the blessed sun.
Katherina
19 - 23- Then God be blest, it is the blessed sun,
- But sun it is not, when you say it is not;
- And the moon changes even as your mind.
- What you will have it nam’d, even that it is,
- And so it shall be so for Katherine.
Hortensio
24- Petruchio, go thy ways, the field is won.
Petruchio
25 - 35- Well, forward, forward, thus the bowl should run,
- And not unluckily against the bias.
- But soft, company is coming here.
- Enter Vincentio.
- To Vincentio.
- Good morrow, gentle mistress, where away?
- Tell me, sweet Kate, and tell me truly too,
- Hast thou beheld a fresher gentlewoman?
- Such war of white and red within her cheeks!
- What stars do spangle heaven with such beauty,
- As those two eyes become that heavenly face?
- Fair lovely maid, once more good day to thee.
- Sweet Kate, embrace her for her beauty’s sake.
Hortensio
36- ’A will make the man mad, to make a woman of him.
Katherina
37 - 41- Young budding virgin, fair, and fresh, and sweet,
- Whither away, or where is thy abode?
- Happy the parents of so fair a child!
- Happier the man whom favorable stars
- Allots thee for his lovely bedfellow!
Petruchio
42 - 44- Why, how now, Kate, I hope thou art not mad.
- This is a man, old, wrinkled, faded, withered,
- And not a maiden, as thou say’st he is.
John Drew as Petruchio
Napoleon Sarony, 1887
Katherina
45 - 49- Pardon, old father, my mistaking eyes,
- That have been so bedazzled with the sun,
- That every thing I look on seemeth green;
- Now I perceive thou are a reverend father.
- Pardon, I pray thee, for my mad mistaking.
Petruchio
50 - 52- Do, good old grandsire, and withal make known
- Which way thou travelest—if along with us,
- We shall be joyful of thy company.
Lord
53 - 57- Fair sir, and you my merry mistress,
- That with your strange encounter much amaz’d me,
- My name is call’d Vincentio, my dwelling Pisa,
- And bound I am to Padua, there to visit
- A son of mine, which long I have not seen.
Petruchio
58- What is his name?
Lord
59- Lucentio, gentle sir.
Petruchio
60 - 71- Happily met, the happier for thy son.
- And now by law, as well as reverend age,
- I may entitle thee my loving father.
- The sister to my wife, this gentlewoman,
- Thy son by this hath married. Wonder not,
- Nor be not grieved; she is of good esteem,
- Her dowry wealthy, and of worthy birth;
- Beside, so qualified as may beseem
- The spouse of any noble gentleman.
- Let me embrace with old Vincentio,
- And wander we to see thy honest son,
- Who will of thy arrival be full joyous.
Lord
72 - 74- But is this true, or is it else your pleasure,
- Like pleasant travelers, to break a jest
- Upon the company you overtake?
Hortensio
75- I do assure thee, father, so it is.
Petruchio
76 - 77- Come go along and see the truth hereof,
- For our first merriment hath made thee jealous.
- Exeunt all but Hortensio.
Hortensio
78 - 80- Well, Petruchio, this has put me in heart.
- Have to my widow! And if she be froward,
- Then hast thou taught Hortensio to be untoward.
- Exit.
Margaret Anglin as Katherina
New York Times, circa 1916